1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the technical area of virtual environments, and pertains in particular to video games
2. Description of Related Art
Video games are notoriously well-known in the art. In some instances games are accessed by players over a network, such as the Internet network, remotely from a central server, and data for a player to play a game is necessarily streamed from the server to the player's computerized appliance, such as a desktop computer, or a mobile device.
In perhaps most instances of such games there is a virtual environment comprising landscape elements, buildings, vegetation, water elements and the like, which involves a great deal of data that must be provided to the player's computer for the player's computer to be able to display the virtual environment necessary to the game. In rather sophisticated games the data is extensive, and there may be a significant time delay from a player choosing to play a game, and the player's computer having all of the necessary data to do so. Further, there is a cost component in the transmission of such large blocks of data.
The cost and time delay involved is a problem to enterprises that provide virtual environments and games for remote players. Any improvement in the time and cost is desirable to these enterprises.